Ex-Minister of Power Prof Chinedu Nebo
2023: APC, PDP should zone presidential tickets to South East – Ex-Minister
[From CHINEDU NWAFOR, Abakaliki]
Former Minister of Power, Prof Chinedu Nebo has urged the two major political parties in Nigeria, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to zone their presidential tickets to the South East zone, come 2023.
Nebo stressed that for the unity of the Nigeria to be guaranteed, the South East zone deserved the 2023 presidential position of Nigeria.
The former Minister, stated this yesterday while delivering a key note address titled; “The Nigeria President of Igbo Extraction,” during the inauguration of the new executive Correspondents’ Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) held at Universal Hotel, Enugu.
He said in order to stop the agitation in the region and avert more bloodshed, “the 2 major political parties in Nigeria should take decision to nominate Presidential candidates in 2023 from the South East region.
“The solution to the agitation and insecurity in the country especially in the South East is to get the presidential zoning restored. That’s the way to go.
“It has happened before and we must to do it again for peace and justice to prevail in our country. During 1999 election, the two major political parties nominated 2 Presidential candidates from the South West which are former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Olu Falae and they finally got the presidential seat as Obasanjo won the election,”
He expressed worry that if the killings in region continued, the family of the victims might come for revenge which would not go down well with the country hence the urgent need to address the situation.
“I always believe in one vibrant country called Nigeria. Together we are stronger, we are better and we can turn the fortunes of the country and fortunes of the black man around. The crisis in Nigeria is not in the best interest of black race. Ndigbo must be given a pride of place again in this country and that pride is to elect an Igbo man as the president of this country.
“This is very important because if it does not happen, more people will become restive. It’s obvious that one of the most neglected zone in this country is the south East, it seems the federal Government forget that there is a place call South East in Nigeria in terms of distribution of appointment and infrastructures. Unfortunately the political elite in Nigeria are most selfish and unpatriotic because if they believe in one Nigeria, they will want the masses to benefit by providing good governance.
“These political charlatans, we pay very dearly if the system collapses, I hope and pray it doesn’t collapse. They will have to cough out all stolen wealth if the system collapses under the weight of corruption and injustice,” he said.
The Chairman of Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Enugu State Chapter, Comrade Lawrence Njoku assured the determination of the new executives to improve the welfare of its members.
The Chairman also assured that the new executives would promote responsible journalism that would contribute positively to the development of Nigeria.
